The Sun. — London, England, 1864-07-13 00:00:00

'ERIAL l'Alan XENT HOUSE OF LORDS—Last E mning, lhe LORD CHANCELLOR, LlOk his seat on the woolsack at five o'llock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a third time and passed Kington and Eardesley Railway, Southern. Railway, Bris tol Part and Channel Docks, Exmouth and. Budleigh, Sal terton Water, Great Western Railway (No. 3), Great North2rn Railway (No. 2) (Lincoln to Boston). THE BARBARITIES BY ?RUSSIAN SOLDIERS. In reply to the Earl of SHAFTESBURY, Earl RUSSELL stated in reference to the rumour that 400 Swedish soldiers had been massacred in cold blood by the Prussians—that there were about six or seven Swedish officers present in the Daniel, army. They wore the Danish uniform, and therefore were not to be distinguished from the Danes. He had since received information from the Prussian Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the effect that there was not more than seventy Swedes alto gether in the Danish army. All they knew was that five Swedish officers were taken prisoners, and that there were 400 soldiers altogether attacked. The reports there fore that came with the telegram were quite untrue- In reply to further questions from the Earl of SHAFTES BURY, Earl RUSSELL said that he knew nothing of the particular case of reported cruelty to the brother of a British officer. CANNOCK CHASE AND WOLVERHAMPTON RAILWAY BILL. Lord HATHERTON move,' that the sessional order of the 21st of April be dispensed with in reference to the bill, in order that it might be read a second time. Lord REDESDALE opposed the motion. Their lordships divided, when there appeared-- Contents ........... Not contents ............ 2O Majority in favour of the motion .. —9 The bill was then read a second time. NEATH AND BRECON RAILWAY (EXTENSION) BILL. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE mo ve d the suspen sion of the standing orders in favour of the bill, The motion was agreed to without a division, and the bill was read a second time. INDEMNITY BILL. This bill was read a second time. STREET MUSIC (METROPOLIS) BILL. The Earl of MALMESJSURY moved the second reading of this bill. The motion was agreed to without discussion. FACILITIES FOR, DIVINE SERVICE IN COL- LEGIATE SCHOOLS BILL. This bill was read a third time and passed. CIVIL BILL COURTS (IRELAND) BILL. The report of amendments to this bill was brought up and agreed to. The India Stocks Transfer Act Amendment Bill was read a second time. The Dfence Act Amendment Bill was read a second time. The Judgment, &c., Law Amendment Bill was read a second time. The India Office Bill passed through committee. The Life Annuities and Life Assurances Bill, and the Lunacy (Scotland) Bill were read a third time and passed. SIR FRANCIS BOND HEAD, The Earl of HARD WICKE called the attention of the house to the memorial of Sir F. B. Head to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, laid on the table of the house on the 6th Jane. He had given notice of his intention to make a motion on the subject ; but, in consequence of what had passed in the other house on the previous evening, he should not bring it forward. The noble earl referred at some length to the services of Sir F. B. Head but it is unneces.. sary to enter into this after the full report which we gave yesterday of the discussion that took place on the same subject in the House of Commons. Lord MELVILLE said it was not Sir F. B. Head, but his suet, ssor (Sir G. Parker) who suppressed the Canadian rebellion in MS. Lord LYVEDEN thought that the subject of giving pensions to colonial governors generally should be carefully considered by her Majesty's Government. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH expressed himself favourable to granting pensions to colonial governors. After some observations from the Marquis of CLAN RICARDE, The subject dropped. Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening. The SPEAKER took the chair at twelve o'clock. HIGHWAYS ACT AMENDMENT (RECOM. 3IITTED) BILL. The house went into committee on this bill. On the motion that the preamble should be postponed, Mr THOMPSON said that the present state of highway management was most unsatisfactory. To prove this he mentioned that it had been fount necessary to substitute another bill in 18(32 for that of 1855. They were now called on to rescind the former. He thought that no practical re sult would wise until that act was rescinded compulsory instead of optional. Clauses Ito 19 inclusive were agreed to after a short dis- mission. Oa clause 20, Mr KENDALL moved an amendment to the effect that parishes should be compelled to refence in their neighbour hoods if necessary. Sir G. GREY said that unless they were already liable these words would not render them so. The amendment was withdrawn, and the clause was agreed to, as were clauses to 23, On clause 24, Mr. H. FENWICK moved the omission of the words "without a keeper," the object of which was to prevent cattle being turned out on the highways for pasturage. These highways were intended for the use of the public, and converting them into grazing ground was a direct per. version from their legitimate purposes. • After some discussion, the committee divided* For the amendment .... 42 Against it Majority It was then moved that the words " Such highways not being more than 30 feet wide" should be added, but it was withdrawn. Sir B, LEIGHTON moved that the words of the clause should not apply to any existing rights of pasturage on the Bider, of roads. Lord HENLEY said that the effect of the provision pro posed by the hon. baronet would be to nullify the clause altogether, lor there were no road upon which rights did not exist. The amendment was agreed to without a division. The clause, with some other amendments, was then adopted without further discussion. There was some farther discussion on subsequent clauses, and some verbal amendments were introduced. The bill was ordered to be reported, and at 10 minutes to 4 o'clock the sitting was suspended. The house resumed at 6 o'clock. THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE SLAVE TRADE. Mr HARDCASTLE asked the First Lord of the Trea sury whether the Brazilian Government had fulfilled their obligations with regard to the Africans liberated by British cruisers, as to whom Earl Russell stated in a de spatch of June 6, 1863, that "some thousands of negroes, captured in slave trading vessels, and decreed many years ago by the mixed commission at Rio to be entitled to free dom, are, there is good reason to believe, up to the present time held in bondage, contrary to law and in violation of treaty engagements," Lord PALMERSTON—Sir, I am sorry to be obliged to say the conduct of the Brazilian Government with regard to the slave trade has i nvar i a bl y b een marked by the greatest violation of treaty engagements, It led, as everybody knows, to the passing o f th e A ct of 1845, and afterwards to t h e proceedings under that act in 1852. Their conduct as the emancipadoes h as b een as ftigrant a violation regards of their engagements as any o th er part of their conduct with regard to the slave trade. Upon this slave trade a mixed commission was appointed in Brazil, combined of British and Brazilian judges, and they were to decree the liberty o f negroes found in the slave trading vessels which might have been condemned as such by the mixed epurt. These delivered negroes were entitled to be free, but the Brazilian Government stid they would require preparation for freedom, and it was provided that they should be sub ject to a master for 1i years. Some were kept by the Bra zilian Government, some by a private master; and we have reason to believe none of them ever obtained that freedom which they desired. This has been the subject of frequent representations by the presentations have Briti s h Government, but these re not been attended to. We have asked for a list of these negroes andl>,aavenot been able to obt ai n i t; but the Brazilian Govern ment have stated that there are measures by which the negroes m a y obtain their freedo m b y their own act. I will st a t e what those measureß are, in order that the house may sec ho w f ar they ate in accordance with the views of Government. I n th e first plac e , negro is to ask from the chief clerk the attestation that his 14 years have expired. Then he is to petiti on the Minister of Jus tice. 3d. The Minister of Justice refers the petitioner to the Judge of Orphans. 4th. Th e J u d ge of Orphans gives infennation, and sends the p e titi oner t o the Ministr of Justice. sth. The Minister of justice refers the petitioner to the chief of police. 6th. The chief of police refers the petitioner to the general Guardian of Negroes. 7: 1 1. The G w ,,di e e of _Negroes refers the petitioner to the chief of p o li c e. Bth. The chief of police refers the petitioner to the governor of the House of Correction. (A laugh.) 9th, The governor of the House of Correction gives information, and send the petitioner beck to the chief of police. (Lenzhter.) The chief of police gives information, and sen d s b ac k the petitioner to the office of the Secretary of Justice. 11th — (laughter)—The Secretary of Justice makes a procedure of the information, which has been passed by the Minister of Justice himsell. Well, then, 12th, the Minister of Jus tice causes letters of freedom to be administered to the man. Now, you would think all is done and the man is free, Far from that. 13th. The petitioner is referred to the judge with Lb latter. 1 4th, Ile is sent to the cbiaf of pllicc. 15th. --- The judge refer s th e p e titi oner t o hi s own c l er k , and 0 .... rders letters of freedom to be given, but keeps the letter until the party has paid the respective emoluments to the officers engaged in these proceedings. 16th. He is made over to the chief of police. 17th. The chief of police communicates with the governor of the House of Correctior, , and orders the applicant to appear before him. 18 tl. The governor sends for him—that is, for the applicant--aul the chief of police designates his future place of residence ; for he is not allowed to go where he likes as a free man, but is fixed to a particular spot. 19. The chief of police communicates with chief of divisional police at the place designated, and hands the applicant to that officer. 20th. The chief of the provin cial police hands him over to the chief of police at Rio, and he is removed from the place where for 14 years he had been residing, and had established connections. All the treaties we have made to obtain justice for the emancipados have failed, and we have not been able to obtain any list of them. We know that when the slave of one of the owners died, the emancipado was put in his place, and it was re ported that the emancipado had died, and not the slave. Mr S. FITZGERALD would like to know whether these 20 steps were pointed out in the Brazilian documents, or whether the noble lord had obtained from other sources the explanation of the course by which the emancipado should be freed. With respect to the Brazilian Government, he would ask whether that Government had not put down ti, te slave trade, and whether Lord Brougham, than wt orn no warmer advocate of emancipation existed, had no;,ezpressed his gratitude to that Government? Lord PALMERSTON—This string has not been obtained from the Government. J. extracted it from a Brazilian newspaper, which gave it as an official document, and I believe it is correct. With regard to the other question of the hon. merr:oer, the Brazilian Government have of late years, since 1852, put an end to the slave trade. That has been by ce,mpulsion, not by conviction. The Act of 1845 was long a dead letter. In 1851-2 the provisions of that Act were l orought into force, and I believe from that time to this the Brazilian slave trade has been put an end to. They gave fresh orders to their officers, and, in spite of bribra to them, I believe that from that time to this the Brazilian slave trade has ceased. I take great credit to myself for having brought about that. Mr BRIGHT protested against the noble lord making a speech on a matter of this nature, where other members could not reply. He should move the adjournment of the house, in order to make one or two observations upon it. He was not aware that a question was going to be put upon that subject that night—but on a previous occasion the noble lord had stated much the same as he had stated that evening. He would like to know whether the noble lord was not aware of the opinion of Lord Aberdeen that the Brazilian Act ought to be repudiated. That Act, he meant to say, was one of the greatest offences to the Brazilian Government, Legislature, and people ; and he might quote the opinion of the late Lord Truro, who was no mean lawyer, that a more unjustifiable Act, and one more in defiance of international law, never was passed by any legislature. If that were so, and if the state of things upon which that Act was justified had en tirely passed away, and if, as we knew the relations of this country with Brazil had been of a most unpleasant kind from the time of the passing of this Act, and if we knew that until that Act was repealed the relations between the two countries would have no chance of being placedupon a proper basis, he thought the noble lord should give up his adherence to what was originally an indefensible law. And he should think, after the vote of last week, when, if the house did not come to a vote of censure, at least he never knew an occasion upon which they had approached more nearly to it, and never did he know an occasion where 'ne house had denounced so strongly the irritating and offensive policy of the Foreign Office—(hear, hear)—the noble lord might have learned somethi ng f rom th a t ; ald if the nobl e lord would consent even now to repeal ren Act which had no reference to the existing state of things, but which as lung as it was maintained was ow'. cain to produce bitterness between this country and Bre e a___ a nation with wh om we had extensive relations, watch might be more extensive if wo had a Government ready to meet them in a friendly spirit—he believed ' o e would be carrying out the opinion prevailing in the:. house, and the opinion prevailing among all classes of this country who had anything to de with Brazil and its people. It might be too late to do anything of the kieid this session, but if the noble lord was not pre pared ro do so at the beginning of next session, he hoped SOITA hon. member would move for a committee to examine Foto the question, and he believed no committee of that house would support the policy of the noble lord. Between this and next session no doubt there would be affairs before the Foreign Office relating to Brazil and the King of Por tugal. If so, the noble lord need not wait until next session, but he might promise what he would do in order to esta blish friendly relations between England and Brazil. Sir J. ELPIIINSTONE would support the appoint ment of a committee, but would not have its labours confined entirely to the trade with Brazil. At this time the situation of our troops on the unhealthy coast of Africa, where vast numbers of them wero dying of fever, was perfectly appalling. (Hear, hear.) The answers they had heard from the Government were most evasive; but nevertheless ha believed the troops were dying from starva tion, and the country was in a state of famine. These were questions calling for the consideration of Parliament, and which could not long be deferred. Another question which forced itself upon the attention of the Government, and wllich could not long be avoided, was that the maintenance of the squadron on that coast cost £60,003 per annum, and there was not one of the ships, except the commodore's, which could go more than eight knots. As he understood, blockade slave-runners were now employed in the slave trade, and these vessels had simply to turn their heads to the wind to escape from our cruisers. Well, these were our best cruisers on the coast of Africa, and it was for the house to say what means had we, should any difficulty arise with a foreign country, to protect the commerce of this country. Vessels of the Confederate States of America, carrying a cargo, were able to make 15 or 16 knots, while our ships, upon ethich depended the proteetion of our conerneree in time of war, could not make above eight knots. Mr S. FITZGERALD endorsed mos; cordially every word which had been said by the hon. member for Birming ham, and expressed the regret which all in the house must feel on seeing that the noble lord took every opportunity of makiag an attack of this kind upon a Government with which for years, until lately, we had held most friendly re lations. The answer of the noble lord was simply an amplification of the last despatch sent by the noble lord at the head of the Foreign office to the Brazilian Government, who had not, so far as that house was aware, yet sent a reply to it. He entirely agreed with all that had fallen from the hon. member for Birmingham. Lord PALMERSTON said ho did not think he was open to the reproaches of the hon. gentleman as he did not volunteer that statement. He (Lord me ; s . ob . t ) was asked a question, and the answer involy ad a statement which he knew to be true. It would l ae useless for the hon. gentle man to deny its truth. - Ile oh Fitzgerald) knew b-atter. (Hear, hear.) Th -- `arefore it was not worthy o f Mr FITZ G' aaRALD—I have said I dig no t know it. Lord P iiLMERSTON—Then I am sorry you are so i gn° ll '..nt. (Cries of Oh, oh,) What I stated is to be ibund in papers which are laid upon the table of the house. The noble lord proceeded to say that with regard to the remarks of the hon, member for Birmingham and tire hon. gentle• man opposite, he would only remark that the ant was the exact counterpart of an act which it had been his (Lord Palmerston's) duty to propose to the house in regard to Portugal, and which, therefore, must have been approved of by the law officers of two different Governments. The justification of the acts was that Portugal and Brazil had each, by the treaty of 1826, pledged the honour of their re spective countries to abolish the slave trade; that they failed to fulfil their engagements; and it was therefore thought we ought to use our power in order to compel the observance of the treaty. Everybody was aware that the slave trade in Brazil amounted to a landing of about 7,000 negroes every year, and it was easy to imagine the misery and suffering that was thereby caused. Everybody was also aware that since the year 1815 the English Government and the English nation had determined to put an end to that abominable trade. (Hear, hear.) He maintained, then, that the goodness of the object justified the means which the Government had from time to time taken for putting down that crime ; and he was convinced that if the act were repealed the Brazilian slave trade would revive, as it had in the case of Spain and Cuba. Spain was bound by treaty to abolish the slave trade. That, indeed, was the only reward we asked for our assistance in the war of independence. Bat what was the result? Why, they had heard in that house, time after time, that the slave trade to Cuba was carried on in spite of the treaty. Then, take another example that of Portugal. She, too, had made a slave treaty, but she still consented to the exportation of slaves from her settlements in Africa. Now, in France, not only the slave trade, but slavery itself, was nominally abolished ; and yet, notwithstanding this, about two years ago the slave trade was to all intents and purposes begun and carried on for some time under the pretext of exporting free labourers from Africa. The hon. gentleman was correct in saying that the act had not been enforced since 1852 ; but he (Lord Palmerston) was quite aware that it was still a thorn in the side of the Brazilians, It was an impediment to those who wished to carry on the sl Ivo trade, and a reproach to those who did not. For his part, he attached so much importance to it that, greatly as he valued the friendship of the Brazilians, yet it these were put into the two scales of the balance—the abolition of the slave trade and the friendship of Brazil—he would sacrifice the friendship of Brazil. (Hear, hear.) Lord J. MANNERS wished to know why the noble lord did not act in the came manner with regard to Spain. (Hear, hear.) The fact was that he dared not. (Hear.) He would not enter into the question at any length, but he could not help protesting against the language which had been made use of by t 4, e noble lord towards an independent member. (Hear, hear.) S ir J. HAY said that before the debate closed he wished to say a few words upon what had fallen from the hon. member for Portsmouth on the subject of the attempts which had been made to suppress the s!avo trade on the coast of Africa. We maintained upon that coast a squadron of IS steam vessels, and he believed that only one of them —viz„ the Rattlesnake —was capable of going WI knots an hour. The other day he was informed four of these vessels gave chase to a slaver, but they could not auceced in effect ing her capture. He wished to know whether such estate of things was to be continued. Lord PA GET said he thought that his hon. friend THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 13, 1864. had made a very exaggerated statement to the house. All he could say was that no acecunts, so far as he was aware, had been received of our steamers chasing slavers and not being able to catch them. Sir J. PAKINGTON observed that the noble lord (Pal merston) had first of all imputed to his hon. friend (Mr Fitzgerald) that he must have known the reverse of what he was stating to have been the truth; and he folio wed that by rebuking his hon. friend for his great ignorance. (Hear, hear.) He would like to know when the papers to which the noble lord had alluded were laid upon the table of the house. Mr LAYA.RD said he was not at the moment able to state that. The motion was then withdrawn. RAILWAY TRAVELLING. Mr B. COCHRANE asked the President of 4 .40 Board of Trade whether, with the view of prote c ting the public" it would not be possible to compel the railway companies to introduce into the carriage sor e mode o f commun i cating with the guards. Mr M. GIBSON replied that no doubt it would be possi- Me to compel the railway companies to introduce some means 0 : enabling passengers to communicate with the guelils, but he greatly doubted the expediency of doing so. tie did not intend to propose to Parliament any measure on the subject. THE FLAGSHIP IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. Sir J. HAY asked the Secretary to the Admiralty if there were any truth In the rumour that a wooden three decker was being fitted for the new flagship in the Mediter ranean, and whether the Admiralty considered it prudent to employ a ship of that description on so important a duty, Lord C. PAGET said it was true that the Victoria, a wooden three decker, was about to be sent to the Mediterra nean. It was the intention of the Admiralty to fit out some of the large iron plated vessels as flagships, but at present they thought the Victoria was quite equal to the duties required of a flagship. inquiries into the circumstances under which the meat was sent to London. SANATORY CONDITION OF THE art. Dr. Letheby, the medical officer of health, reported that during the past week 293 houses had been inspected, and he submitted a list of 105 places for sanatory improvement. He also submitted a list of places that required further pro ceedings, on account of orders already issued but not yet complied with. The markets and slaughter houses had been duly inspected and the officers had condtlraned 1,063 lbs. of meat as unfit , for human food. All o f it was in a diseased condition. The mortality returns for the w ee k are great l y b e l ow th e average fo: Cite aftson. Last week the number of deaths was. .50 instead of 47, which is the average for the corres ponding period of the last eight years. Sixteeh of the deaths were among children of less than five years of ago, and 7 among old persons of 60 and upwards. The chief causes of death were as follows :—Phthisis 5, pneumonia 4, bronchitis 4, mesenteric disease 3, continued fever 2, diphtheria 1, in fantine diarrhea 1, erysipelas 1, and measles 4, making together 8 deaths from tubercular diseases, 8 from inflam matory affections of the lungs, and 9 from diseases of a zymotic character.' The Commissioners, after transacting some other busi ness adjourned) STATE OF TRADE, .....,_,..__._._ MANCHEbTER, July 12.--The market for shipping yarns has been very strong to-day, and many spinners have asked prices so much in advance of late quotations as almost utterly to discourage operations. But for the extreme prices it is believed a considerable business would have been done. A good many secondhand lots, bought last week, have been resold to-day at prices under what spinners were now will ing to accept. The market closes very firm, buyers some what at a loss how to act, from a feeling that if they refuse the rates now demanded they may not be able a few days hence to supply their wants with ou t g i v i ng a s till f ur ther advance, In our home trade market the advance in prices has been considerable, and a moderate business has been done at an advance of id per lb on the rates of last Friday. Spinners, however, in some cases have asked considerably more for cops—in some instances as much as 2d or 3d per lb in excess of the prices of this day week, while some pro ducers decline for the present to name any quotation. With the market in this state, it has, of course, been difficult for buyers to get on, and business has to some extent been checked. In the cloth market the improvement noted last week has continued. A good deal of business has been done altogether during the past five or six days, in fact a large business at a slight but gradual rise in prices, especially in Bindings suited to India. The demand has embraced shirt ings of all kinds, and especially wide shirtings. Buyers have preferred to suit themselves out of stock, where that has been practicable, and where orders have had to be given for goods to make have manifested extreme reluctance to give any lengthened period fer deliveries. Where manufacturers take orders to make they are compelled by the advance in cotton to ask considerably highor rates for cloths—say, for 811 b 40 -inch shirtings 9.1 to 12d per piece; and for other shirtings in proportion. For other cloths sellers are adding id to 3d (and in some cases more) to last Tuesday's rates. Buyers seem to a great extent taken by surprise, and to day these extreme rates have checked business very con siderably in cloths. Messrs. John Hogg and Co. report : " Since Tuesday last we have had an improved demand, and a good business has been done at our full quotations of last week, chiefly for goods in stock, or short term of de livery. The movement in the cotton-market has to-day compelled manufacturers considerably to advance their qw)- tations ; and, as buyers are unwilling to follow, especially for distant delivery, the business of the day has been much restricted." LEEDS, 12th.—The markets in the cloth-halls to-day have been quiet, much the same as on this day se'nnight. As large quantities of heavy goods suitable for the fall trade are delivering by the manufacturers direct to the merchants, there is a comparatively small bulk of seasonable goods in the halls. The market was affected by the occurrence of Leeds annual summer fair, which imparted a holyday feeling to the market generally. The manufacturers report themselves as keeping well employed, and that their stocks are far from being heavy. As to prices, they aro very firm. A good deal of interest has been manifested to-day in the suspension of payment by a large shipping-house (Messrs. J. Mira'. and Co.), who have issued a circular to their creditors, announc ing that, in consequesco of the non-receipt of remit tances from America, and the high rate of exchange, they have been obliged to suspend payment, They intimate that they intend to place their affairs in the heads of an accountant, and to lay a statement as soon as possible before a meeting of their creditors. In the meantime they express a hope that they will meet with for bearance. There are many rumours as to Messrs. Mirfin's liabilities, the amount being stated to be from £lOO,OOO to £200,000. It is understood that the firm have scarcely any stock on hand. During the last few years they have done a largo business with America, a considerable portion, if not the large portion, being with the Confederate States by means of blockade runners. At a meeting of the creditors this afternoon there was a good attendance. Mr John Mirfin, who censtitutes the firm, estimated his debts at £130,000, but he thinks he has £150,000 to pay with, £130,000 of which consists of goods at New York. The meeting terminated in Mr Mirfin agreeing to execute a deed of assignment. 8 x trustees were chosen, and in structions were given to them to take immediate steps -for recovering a large quantity of goods lately transmitted to New York and to Nassau. NOTTINGHAM, 12t1.—At this Exchange-hall to-day there was a fair attendance of merchants and manu facturers. The demand for lace yarns was only mode rate, prices being above the views of buyers. Hosiery yarns wore also held at an advance on late prices. Silks film, and advancing. The demand for brown nets was slow, but late rates were fully supported. It ;CHDALE, 11th. —There was a fair attendance of buyers in tha flannel market to 'day, and a brisk demand for light and fancy articles, Medium and heavy goods are also in steady request, and the Same may be said as to Yorkshire goods. Manufacturers are hardening their prices, having no diffif.tulty in obtaining last month's currency, and find ing it difficult to buy wool without some advance. The manufacturers are all well employed, and the condition and prospects of the flannel trade have rarely been better than at present. day at the office, Gresham-house, Old Broad-street—Mr Corney in the chair, Mr li. ADRON, the secretary, read the statement of ac counts, which showed that £237 was brought from the pre ceding half-year, £22,500 rent of railway received from the South-Eastern Company, and £5 for transfer fees—total, £22,743. From this was deducted £9,996 for interest on bands and preference shares, £306 balance of income-tax, and £475 expenses, leaving a balance of £11,065. On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, a dividend at the rate of £1 7s ld per cent on the ordinary stock of the company for the half-year ending June 30, being at the rate of 5s Ed per original share, free of income-tax, was declared payable by warrant on the 16th inst. The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the chairman and directors. STEEL SHOT. Sir J. HAY asked the Secretary to the Admiralty, as the First Lord of the Admiralty was reported to have stated that the cast-iron shot were as useless as mud when fired against ironclad ships, what proportion of steel shot and shell were supplied to the Channel fleet, which he had stated was ready to go anywhere on 24 hours notice ? Lord C. PAGET replied that the subject of steel shot had not been lost sight of, but he thought the house would agree with him that it was not advlsable that he should state at the present time what they were doing in the matter. (A laugh.) " OFFICIAL" RUSSIAN DESPATCHES, Mr A. SEYMOUR asked the Under Secretary jof State for Foreign Affairs if the Foreign -office had any knowledge of a despatch, headed " Official," dated February 10th, 1864, and purporting to come from Gortchakoff at St. Pe tersburg to M. d'Oubril, at Berlin, which was published in the Horning Post of July 4th. And, if the Foreign -office had any knowledge of another despatch headed " Private Communication," from Prince Gortchakoff to M. d'Oubril, of the same date, but in a completely opposite spirit. Mr LAYARD—In answer to my hon, friend I have to state that we have no knowledge of either of these de-, spatches. CRIMES CCM:MT TED IN RAILWAY CARRIAGES. Mr BUTLER drew attention to the numerous crimes which had keen recently committed in railway ca rr i ages , and asked whether it were the intention of the Government to t'...are steps to prevent this recurrence. He would parti cularly refer to the case of assault upon a young female, whose life would have been sacrificed had it not been for the efforts of a gentleman in an adjoining car riage, and the case of Mr Briggs, who was murdered on Saturday evening in a first class carriage on the North London Railway. He wished to ask the Home Secretary what was the amount of the rewards offered for the appre hension of the murderer by Messrs. Robartes and Co., the bankers, by whom the deceased gentleman was employed, by the Government, and by the North London Railway Company; also whether there was any truth in the report that the alleged murderer had been captured. Sir G. GREY said he did not know what reward had been offered by the railway company, but Messrs. Robartes and Co. and the Government had each offered rewards of £lOO for the apprehension of the murderer. He had not heard that the alleged murderer had been captured ; but he believed it had been ascertained that the chain which had been taken from Mr Briggs had been sold yesterday to a silversmith, who had given an excellent description of the person who sold it to him. THE SLAVE TRADE ON THE COAST OF AFRICA Sir J. ELPUINSTONE asked the Secretary to the Ad miralty to lay upon the tableof the house a list of the steam veEsela now employed on the West Coadt of Africa, with their speed. as ascertained at the measured mile. Lord C. PAGET said he could not consent to produce such a list, as that would afford just the information which the slave pirates would like to be in possession of, THE OFFICE OF POSTMASTER-GENERAL. Mr D. GRIFFITH rose to move the following resolu tion :—" That the practice of appointing a peer and privy councillor exclusively to the office of Postmaster 'General is one which is not directed or required by law, and does not particularly conduce to the convenience of the distri bution of Ministerial appointments, or to the efficiency of the public service." The question has lately been discussed in that house as to what should be the proportionate distri bution in both houses of the members of the Government who conducted the business of the several departments. Up to the year 1822 the business of the Post Office department was managed by two persons, who were called Postmasters- General. In hat year the late Lord Normanby brought forward a motion in that house for the reform of the depart ment. At one time the office was held by the Duke of York, the younger brother of Charles 11., who appointed a deputy to discharge the duties of the office. During the reigns of the Georges various modifications were introduced ; but the result was that, although there was no warrant to authorise it, two Postmasters -Genera( were appointed. An HON. MEMBER here observed that there were not 40 members present, and after the lapse of the usual in terval, the requisite number not being completed, the Speaker declared the house adjourned at a quarter-past 7 o'clock. CITY SEWERS COMMISSION, The Cziramissioners of Sewers of the City of London met in tie Sewers Court-room at Guildhall yesterday, under the presidency of Henry De Jersey, Esq., Deputy. Among the members of the Court present were—Deputy Farrar, Deputy Lloyd, Deputy Unwiri, Deputy Perkins, Deputy Read, Deputy Cot, D e puty Bone, Deputy Obbard ; Messrs Geor -- . 6e . vv a lt er ,Ni n d, Cox, Botterill, Israel, Toulon, Mattt ov , Haughwn, Green, Sully, J. T. Young, and T. '6ymonds. _ The Principal Clerk, Mr JOSEPH DAW, read a commu nieJtion he had received from Mr A. J. Baylis, Clerk to the tivardians of the East London Union, inclosing a letter received by the Board from Dr Fowler, one of their district medical officers, who reported the prevalence of fever in his district ; there being two bad cases in Thompson's-rents, and two other cases in Rose-alley. He suggested that every house and room in both the courts named should bo thoroughly white-limed, and that the refuse of the severalihouses should be frequently remoired. He also added that it would be very desirable that the several rooms and houses inhabited by the poor of the parish (Bishopsgate)should be similarly treated. Dr LETHEBY stated that the houses in both of the places named were carefully inspected in the months of April and May last, and that orders were then iseued for sanatory improvement. In the case of Thompson's-rents, the orders were fully carried out in the month of Alay ; but in that of Rose-alloy, as the orders were but imperfectly executed, he visited the place on the Bth Juue,and made a circumstantial inspection of all the houses. He then advised the Commis sion to take legal proceedings against the landlord, Mr White, for neglecting the orders of the Court. Those pro ceedings were promptly followed out, and on tho 20th of June the owner of the premises was fined for each house that had been neglected, and was charged with the costs. At that time, however, the whole of the sanatory works were completed to the satisfaction of the officers, and therefore, a fortnight before the date of the district medical officer's let ter, every house in Rose-alley had been put into a good sanatory condition, as far the powers of the Commission extended. Dr Letheby added that he had referred to the returns of sickness which are copied from Dr Fowler's medi cal order book, and he found that for the last four weeks there had been but three cases of fever in Thompson's rents, and four in Rose-alley, and that there had been no returns of death from either of those places in that time. The report of the medical officer was ordered to be for warded to the guardians of the East London Union. DISEASED MEAT PROSECUTIONS IN THE CITY. The Solicitor to the Commission, A. J. BATI:I8, Esq., reported that, in pursuance of instructions, he had caused proceedings to be taken against a person named John Mil ler for sending a quantity of very diseased meat from Ar broath, in Scotland, to Newgato-market. The defendant was committed for trial on Friday last to the July Sessions of the Central Criminal Court, and that (Tuesday) morn ing he pleaded guilty, and was sentenced by Mr Commis sioner Kerr to be imprisoned for 12 calendar months, to pay a fine of £5O, and be further imprisoned until the pay ment of such fine. The Solicitor reported that he had also caused an indict ment to be preferred at the present sessions of the Central Criminal Court against Robert Case, of Lamas, near Aylsham, Norfolk, for sending to a saleman in Newgate market four quarters of an ox which were very diseased, and unfit for human food, The defendant was convicted that (Tuesday) morning, and sentenced by Mr Commissioner Kerr to be imprisoned for six calendar months,to pay a fine of no, and to be further imprisoned until the fine is paid. Mr Baylis also reported that on the 7th inst. Inspector Neuman seizod some packs of meat that were being taken into a shop in Newgatc-market. Oa examination, ho found that the meat formed part of an animal that appeared to have died of disease, and had not been killed. It was in a very bad condition, and totally unfit for human food. The meat was shown to Mr Alderman J. C. Lawrence the same day, who stated that its unfitness for food from disease must be apparent to the most inexperienced person. He ordered it to be destroyed, and instructed him (Mr Baylis) to report the case to the Commissioners. The Commissioners at once instructed the solicitor to make i RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. RAIL WAY BILLS. Yesterday the last two projects on the list for metropoli tan railway communication came on for consideration before Lord Stanley's committee. They are the hills for the Me tropolitan District and Metropolitan Grand Union Rail ways. The committee have been empowered by the house to consolidate the two bills into one, and to take evidence bearing upon each. The Metropolitan District has aban doned its "main outer circle" system of railways, and con fines its application to the "main inner circle," which con sists of a railway from a junction with the Metropolitan Extension at Brompton to Westminster-bridge of 2 miles, passing, eta Sloane and Chester - squares, north of the Vic toria station and under Victoria-street to Bridge - eourt, Westminster-bridge. The line will then pursue its way from 'Westminster-bridge, north of the Thames Embank ment, to Blackfriare-bridge, 'thence under the London , Chatham, and Dover, and the propo se d new street between Blackfriars and the Mansion-house, to the Cannon -street station of the Charing-cross Railway, then under King Wil. liara - street and south of Eastcheap to the Blackwell Railway and Trinity-square, Tower-hill, in junction with the Metro politan Extension Railway. The proposed capital of the Metropolitan Districts Railway was originally £6,000,000 in shares and £2,000,000 loan, but only a part of it will be required. The Metropolitan Grand Union originally proposed to be incorporated with a capital of £4,000,000 in shares and £1,333,000 by loan for an aggregate length of 15 miles, part of the distance running from the West London Railway, vta Earl's-court,Old Brompton, and Pelham-creseent,under the Fulham-road, and Sloane-square, north of Victoria-station and Victoria-street, under the Broad Sanctuary and Bridge - street, to the Thames Embankment, passing under the road way to the embankment to near 131ackfriars, under a portion of the intended new street, then north of Upper and Lower Thames-streets, under Cannon and King William streets, north of the Monument, and north-west side of Trinity-square, passing under the London and Blackwell Railway near America-square, and terminating atChris tian street, St. George's in the East. The projects are opposed by the Corporation of London, Society of the Middle Temple, Lord Kensington, Marquis of Salisbury, Benchers of the Inner Temple, Metropolitan Board of Works, and Metro politan Road Commissioners, Commissioners of Sewers of London, Commissioners of Works and Public Buildings, Dukes of Norfolk and Buceleuch, on the ground of inter ference with property. The witnesses examined in favour of the bill were S,r C. Fox, Mr Fowler, and Mr Haddon and Mr Bouch, engineers, Captain Huish, Mr C. Steward, secretary of the London and North Western, and others. The case for the promoters of the bill having closed the Recorder and Common Sergeant opened the opposition for the Corporation of the City of London, and the committee adjourned to this day. The bills for the Irish North Western, Belfast Central, Kilkenny Junction, and Rubber. ston Docks passed in:Mr Massey's committee. A committee, emsisting of the Earl of Chichester,ehairman, the Make of Wellington, and Lords Manvors, Abercrombie, and Ebury, met to consider certain bills for railway extension inWales. Those for the Rhymney Railway Company's extensions be tween Cardiff and Caerphilly and other places were passed, and Mr Conybeare, the engineer of the Brecon and Merthyr Tydvil Junction Railway Company's now lines,was examined at considerable length by Mr Denison and Mr Burke. The ease for the Oswestry and Newton and London and North Western Company's hills closed in the Duke of R•chmond's E co v m e m rsi i e tt y 7 s , e a o n m d ra t it he oe b . i A lls se w le e e r t e c p o a ni ss u: ed; The case for the promoters of the East Glocest,n)aire Railway closed in Lord Taunton, aae u eud l i nel e ist s tdoi o nae of Devonshire Grey,e D took se Bill,svt r o t aa n dane s nbvl b erdi i oyd r koee evidence cf n Dte oAue n E pi odo u uen e gr k h r nti Railwaye Buckingham, Railways aeo ciim i p t aw L e epm e ra o : y r on c . 1 ;s o i L:e n f sy s wvi Construes,t , v t :oi:rdn e rgP n oi ,7 , t0 at n Rom ney,nde F Powers Bill. Borro w ing LONDON AND GREENWICH. The half -yearly reeling o► this company was held yester- COLCHESTER AND STOUR VALLEY. The half-yearly accounts show that the total expenditure on capital to June 30 was £286,192. After providing for all preferential charges and current expenses, the balance avail able for dividend on revenue account was £3,842, out of which the directors recommend a dividend at the rate of £3 Os 6d per cent, per annum on the ordinary stock of the company, leaving a balance of £69, RAILWAY SCHEMES• The Commons' select committee on Parliamentary depo sits have reported to the house that the act requiring the promoters of a railway bill to deposit money or stock to the amount of 8 per cent, of the estimate, in order to ensure the bona fide character of the undertaking, is evaded by the new system which has sprung up. It was intended that stock so deposited should be the proper funds of the promoters, and available for the purposes of the undertaking; but now a banker or insurance company lends the stock required, de positing it with the accountant-general in the lender's name, and under arrangements which secure complete power over it. One or two persons thus obtain a t emporary loan to make a colourable deposit, until they see whether a bill will be ob tained, and whether they can enlist a sufficient number of supporters of their scheme. In the meantime they may cause by their notices great depreciation of property, and destroy the confidence in the permanency of occupation necessary for the carrying on and extension of business in large towns and the progress of building operations. They may prevent the completion of sales, and put parties opposing them to enormous expense. They may also subject Parliamentary committees to lengthened investigations without there being adequate means to form a judgment whether the public has taken such an interest in the undertaking as to justify Parliament in granting the powers sought for. The committee mention that in this present session more than half the deposits on private bills are made by other persons than the promoters. Mr Stewart, the secretary of the London and North- Western Railway Company, stated to the committee that he does not believe there was a company, in the sense in tended by Parliament, for any one of the new metropolitan railway projects. They have been promoted only by pro fessional men on the chance of being able to turn them to account. An eugiaeer, a solicitor, a Parliamentary agent, and a contractor apply for a bill; if the bill is lost, only the money out of pocket is charged, and they divide this loss among them ; if the bill is granted, they set the rights so obtained up to auction. The committee recommend regulations in regard to a subscription contract, a prelimi nary inquiry into its bona plea, and the financial arrange ments of the "company," the application of the deposit when returned, and its liability in certain cases for costs of opposition, all which they hope will tend to check these abuses. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE, HOME CIRCUIT.-HERTFORD, July 12. The business of the assizes for Herta was com menced this morning at ten o'clock—Baron Martin presiding on the civil side, and Mr Justice Willes in the Crown Court. The cause list is a very light one, only nine common jury cases being entered. (Before Mr Justice Willes.) CHARGE OF ASSAULT. William Mullins surrendered to take his trial upon an indictment charging him with assaulting James Permewan, and causing him bodily injury, and also with a common assault. Mr Robinson and Mr Clark prosecuted ; Mr Woollett and Mr Ludlow were counsel for the de fendant. This case created some little interest on account of the position of the parties, and the circumstances under which the alleged assault took place. The defendant is a farmer, occupying a farm belonging to Sir Edward Lytton, M.P., at Bletch worth, near Stevenage; and it appeared that in March last he received notice to quit this farm. The prosecutor, at the time of this notice being given, occupied the position of land steward to Sir Edward Lytton, and there was no doubt that a good deal of ill-feeling existed in the defendant's mind against him. The prosecutor stated that an May 18th he was engaged in marking bark upon some trees near de fendant's farm, and on his return home with his son, a boy nine years of age, he was met by the de fendant, who seemed very angry, end was' talking at him ;" and though he tried to avoid him, the de fendant seized him by the collar and twisted his head round, and nearly strangled him. In order to release his neckerchief, as was stated, the prose cutor pulled out the knife he had been using, and tried to cut it. The defendant then began kicking him violently on the shins, and he fell to the ground insensible, and very severely injured, according to the testimony of Mr Marshall, a medical gentle man. The prosecutor was subjected to a severe cross-examination by Mr Wooilett, and admitted that before the assault he had walked across two of the defendant's fields ; but the main facts, as previously stated, were not shaken. It was further stated, in the course of the inquiry, that the prosecutor had left the service of Sir Edward Lytton since the transaction, and that the differences between the defendant and his landlord had been arranged, and he was to continue in his farm. The magistrates also had declined to commit the defens dant for trial. Mr, Woollett, for the defendant, strongly urged that the prosecutor had brought all the inconve.. niences he had suffered upon himself, and that the defendant had done no more than any other man would have done under the same circumstances, the prosecutor being a trespasser upon the defendant's land. All the defendant did Nina to remove him, and when the prosecutor found he was getting the worst of it, he reverted to the dastardly expedient of drawing a knife and trying to make nse of it. A number of respectable witnesses, most of whom were in the same condition of life as the defendant, were called to speak to his character, and they all described him as n harmless, inoffensive man, and a good, peaceable neighbour. Mr. Justice Willes having summed up, the jury at once returned a verdict,' of " Not guilty ;" and the defendant was ordered to be inanediately discharged. SACRILEGE. Isaac Anderson, alias Jones, 30, descr;,lma as a draper, pleaded guilty to an indictment charged him with breaking into the parish church of Bushey, and stealing a cloth and other articles, the property of the parishioners. Inspector Allison, of the K division of the metro politan police., informed the court that the prisoner had been previously convicted of breaking into the parish church of St. George's-in-the-East, and also into that of St. Ann's, Limehouse. Under that con viction he was sentenced to eighteen months' hard labour. The prisoner was sentenced to five years' penal servitude. The whole of the civil business was brought to a conclusion by three o'clock, and Baron Martin was angaged until the rising of the court in assisting to dispose of the gaol carendar. MIDLAND CIRCUIT.—WARWICK, July 12. (Before MI Justice Keating.) BREACH OF PROMISE OF MARRIAGE. Miss Harriet Butler, daughter of the ex Mayor of Tamworth, brought an action against Mr Richd. Edwin Ruffe, late surgeon at the Bradford Mr. mary, to recover damages for breach of promise of marriage, &c. Mr Field, Q.C., and Mr Miller, appeared for the plaintiff; Mr Digby Seymour, Q.C., was specially retained on the other side. Defendant pleaded that he never promised to marry, but that if he did, at the time of doing so plaintiff herself absolved him from fulfilment. The facts of the case, as they came out in evidence, are as follows—Defendant resided at Tamworth in 1852, while walking the Birmingham Hospital, and there became acquainted with plaintiff, who had recently lost her father, a gentleman occupying, from his character and position, considerable influ nonce in her native town. Ho engaged himself to her, and continued, from that time up to very re cently, on the most affectionate terms, writing numerous letters, couched in terms of endearment. After a voyage to New Zealand, defendant became surgeon to the infirmary at Bradford, Yorkshire, and, writing thence on the 30th of October, 1859, to her a letter commencing, "My own dear darling Harrie," he said— This afternoon—that is to say, as soon as I have finished this letter —I shall go to Birmingham to look about the place. I mean to begin. to work. I think I shall, as soon as I conveniently can, love, go to Scotland and take the M.D., since it would, of course, be better to call myself " Dr." Buffo than " Mr." (Laughter.) And then you will be called Mrs Dr Buffo. However, of all this you shall here more anon. I trust, my own darling, I shall hear from You when you get home, because I am always pleased to hear from you. Do, love, write as you think ; remem ber you are my wife, and that I am in every wa y yours, and yours only; therefore you ought not to have any ceremony or doubt. With best love, and thousands of kisses for your 'wn dear self, 1 am, dearest Harrie, your own dear—Tv). continued to write similar epistles, and in ho of going into partnership with a Mr 1860 spoke er opinion, as his future wife on Dryden, asking ' - ; 11g rit s den, saying, " Do the advisability of tab_ you think we could live on £l5O a year for three years P for if we can I have no fear after that time." Defendant entered into negotiations with Mr Dryden, at the same time holding out hopes to plaintiff of a speedy marriage. In January, 1862, he said— Write to me as if you were my wife. You know, love, it is all nonsense talking about anything happening, and not being married ; for, as far as I am concerned, nothing can or shall hinder it. I am yours, and yours only, for life. Concluding with fondest love from your own husband —TED. Farther correspondence of this sort was kept up; end in Nov., 1562, he addressed her still as his own darling Harrie, but regretted, &c., that circum stances would not allow him to make her his wife just then, but at the same time expressed a hope he should be able to keep his promise hereafter. Dur ing all this time he had visited her, but in 1863 his visits became less frequent by degrees until he ceased to see her, and ultimately neglected to favour her with his customary epistles. In April last her brother-in-law wrote to him to demand an explana tion of this change in the course of love, and received in reply a " cruel" letter, wherein defendant first announced his intention of breaking the agree ment—firstly, because he could not love plaintiff; and, secondly, because he was involved in legal proceedings which would probably compel him to leave England for ever. The present action was then commenced, and ho said he would marry her if she would have him ; but she refused, on the ground that he only wanted to stay proceedings. Mr Digby Seymour addressed the jary in miti gation of damages, his chief point consisting in the fact that plaintiff was rather past what was gene rally called " a marrying age." The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, with £3OO damages. SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS, TIMES,—Now that a railway passenger has been the victim of one of the foulest murders which have been committed in our time, it is possible that the railway companies may be forced by public opinion to abandon their practice of locking passengers in the compartment of a carriage, and leaving them without the power of communicating with any human being as long as the train is in motion. Yes terday Mr. Baillie Cochrane asked a question on this subject in the House of Commons, and received an answer which shows how thoroughly Mr. Milner Gibson has acquired the official style. While the body of a man slaughtered through neglect of the obvious expedients which are practised on the rail. ways of every other country in the world lies await ing an inquest, Mr. Gibson expresses himself in the following Conservative fashion :—" It would, no doubt, be possible to compel railway companies, by legislation, to introduce into the carriages some mode of communicating with the guards ; but he doubted the expediency of doing so. As our rail ways were constructed the question was not with out considerable practical difficulties. Evidence had been taken on the subject before a committee up stairs, and the inspectors of railways were not by any means unanimous as to the expediency of adopt ing a plan whereby the passengers might be enabled to communicate with the guards ;" and so on; the conclusion at which the public must arrive at being that, so far as the Government is concerned, they may be murdered and robbed with impunity for ever. But long-suffering as we are, there is a point beyond which even railway directors will not be allowed to carry their despotism. Some time since a carriage took fire, and the passengers were in im minent danger of destruction, their efforts to make their situation known to the driver or guard being wholly unavailing. Only yesterday we gave an account of a still worse case. A young woman, to save herself from the indecent assaults of a man with whom she happened to be left alone, opened the door and gut outside, standing on the step of the carriage. She soon became insensible with fright, and must have perished had it not been for the exertions of a gentleman in the next compartment, whose attention was called to her by a boy who saw her hanging on by a door-handle. This gentleman had to support her for five miles, until the notice of the guard was directed to the matter by some labourers who saw the train coming past and called out to him. Can anything be more scandalous than such a story P Is it not plain that no man is safe from assassination, no woman from rape, as long as people are left sometimes for more than an hour without the possibility of making known their situation P Some time since there was a fearful scene with a lunatic in a railway carriage which strongly resembled a tale of Edgar Poe, and no person can be sure when he takes his seat that he is not about to furnish materials for some such story. In any other country than this the selfish inaction of mercantile companies would be corrected by the interference of the State. What, indeed, is the use of a Government if it cannot protect the lives of the people by controlling the chief means of travelling P Yet Mr. Gibson contents himself with telling us that the Board of Trade has no execu• five power or authority in the matter, and that he has no intention of introducing a bill to compel the railway companies to provide means of communi cation. If anything is to be done, it must, then, be through the exertions of the public, which suffers from the present mismanagement. There is a stolid obstinacy in the railway world with regard to this question which will only yield to the resolutely ex pressed will of the travelling pubiic. What the ob jection of railway directors and their dependents can be to the simple expedient of allowing the pas sengers to make known their position to the guard by a bell or otherwise we have never been able to discover ; but for some reason or another they will not consent to do anything. Talk to them, and you will have some such answer as " It would be im practicable, extremely inconvenient ; it is unsuited to our system ; it would be attended with many difficultieswhich only those concerned in the work ing of railways can appreciate." Bat if to this uni versal chorus of "It can't be done" you reply with " Why not P" the reasons given are entirely puerile. You tell them that not only in America, where they have cars, but in other countries, where the carriages are constructed like our own, there is complete facility of communication ; and all that they can answer is that our carriages are not built for the purpose ; that our trains travel too quickly ; that if passengers could communicate with the driver they would be always stopping the train on some fancy or another,and introducing unpunctuality into rail way arrangements. These are, we believe, the only pretexts that have even an air of plausibility; and, when they are considered for a moment, how frivo lous they are. In the first place, if our carriages are not censtrueted so as to allow the guard to pass along the outside, let them be altered. A handrail and a continuous ledge for the guard to walk upon, as on the French railways, are all that is wanted ; and this simple machinery would also allow the col lection of tickets during the journey, and save the waste of time and the danger of collision caused by she foolish stoppage for the purpose at half a mile from . • . .he terminus. Then, as to the speed of the trains, is it; .not the fact that the guard performs this along the carriage s even on th e duty of walkinp, - fastest express trains, such as those from C a l a i s or gi Leh lines ? So much Boulogne to Paris—trains which equal or exceed in speed the expresses of our En t n erfect ease for the objection on the ground of echanical cm „jage to im possibility. An active guard eould with leave his seat and make his way to any which he might be calved; and with such an arrang . e. merit passengers would feel a security against vice lence or accident which, unfortunately, they do not now enjoy. There only remains the argument that the train would be continually stopped by mis chievous or nervous persons. Oa this ,point we believe that even if the passengers could communi cate with the driver there would be no folly of the kind ; but no one recommends that they should com municate with the driver. What is asked is, that they should communicate with the guard, who then would come to the carriage, and if he saw sufficient reason would himself communicate with the driver and stop the train. When these so-called '° difficul ties" are looked at for a moment they vanish, and we are constrained to believe that the only real difs °silty lies in the inveterate prejudices of the railway authorities. It seems strange to talk of stolid Con servatism with respect to a scientific invention little more than 30 years old, but it is strange how quickly everything hardens and crystallises in this country. These Tories of preetical science require to be urged on to reform, and if, with the lessons of the last few days before us, we omit to urge them, the fault will be ours as much as theirs. _ _ ---- POST.—We are always glad when the time comes round for renewing the annual grant to the British Museum, and, it it should then transpire that the estimates of expenditure for one year be in excess of those for the year preceding, assuredly that circumstance is not of a kind to awaken in our mind any parsimonious feeling of regret. It would be difficult to over estimate the value of that truly excellent, if heterogenous, mingling of the sources of human knowledge which constitutes the British Niuseum ; therefore when Mr Walpole on Monday represented the Museum expenditure of the year, compared with the last, to be as £96,327 against £94,841,thus evidencing an increase of some £1,486, no non. member, we feel ass ure d , grudged i n hi s own mind the increment. It seems that whilst there has been an increased expenditure of some £1,724 under the general heads of salaries, book binding, and printing of catalogues, there has been a reduction of £3,238 on expenses of building and furniture. Laying before the house a statement of the purchases effected on behalf of the trustees of the British Museum during the past year, Mr Wal pole furnished a presentment that will be alike gratifying to men o f sc i ence an d men of cultivated artistic tastes, First in his expository list came the notice of the collections—so interesting in a Palma tologioal sense—of one of those caverns near Abbe"- ville, the relics of which have of late been disturb ing the minds of paleontologists relative to the stupendous question of man's antiquity upon earth. Then followed the notice of relics of less exciting though far mere general interest. First, a bronna lamp, found on the site of Julian's palace, supposed to be of Greek workmanship at a time before the Christian era. Then—since, indeed, the estimates were made up, as Mr 'Walpole states—the very im portant and interesting acquisition has been made° of the Farnese collection that lately belonged to the King of Naples, comprising amongst its chief attractions a beautiful statue of Mercury, and an antique equestrian statue—one of three only in the world, and the only specimen of the kind in Eng land. These acquisitions are very satisfactory ; less satisfactory, however, the manner of lodging them. To be conscious of possessing such numerous and varied treasures is no doubt a source of gratification to the British scientific and artistic mind ; but the gratification is dashed with a strong feeling of sorrow and regret on calling to memory the fact that, for want of suitable accommodation, the ac quisitions above cited—as well as many others—. are no less inaccessible to public vision than if they belonged to his Majesty the King of Ashantee. This dearth of room begins to tell very injuriously against the best interests of the British Museum, after having marred, for some years past, the archi tectural beauty of what, loft to itself, devoid of the cucumberframe lateral excrescences, set up tempor arily by way of accommodation, would be a very fine building. So pressing is the inconvenience for want of room that all who use the British Museum for business or recreation will cordially second Mr Walpole's expressed desire that some action may bo taken by Government to remedy the evil during the coming recess. Our readers wilt call to mind, without being prompted, some lively debates upon this matter upon many previous occasions—debates in the course of which the South Kena:ngton site has been strenuously recommended on the one hand and no less strenuously depreciated on the y other. Although Mr. Walpole did not do more than urge that the question of ample and sufficien t space might be settled and acted upon before next session; although he refrained from urging the adoption of any particular site, yet, speaking for ourselves, we are disposed to believe that the arrangement best conducive to the interests of all parties using the Museum would be such as should reserve the premises in Great Russell-street mainly to Library uses, and promote the transference of other branches o.f the existing museum to South Kensington. Except out of a spirit of contradiction, we do not know why it is that such a violent feeling of opposition has set in against the Government relative to the appropria• tion of the South Kensington property to purposes connected with science and art. Conceding that it might have been inconvenient for the Royal and other learned societies, which have evening seances, to be established there, this can hardly be,. said to furnish an argument that applies in any degree to the British Museum, or at least such portions of it as we have suggested might be transferred from their present quarters. Conceding the sup& rior advantages—even the necessity—of reserving the present site for library purposes, it could hardly be made out, we think, that the site of South Ken sington is far enough out of the way to incon venience any frequenter of the British Museurat• Not too far for the holiday visitants, assuredly; not too far for the art student ; not too far for the zoolos gical or mineralogical visitors. However, the question of site is one that has not only given rise to much lively debate, but will probably give ris to more before a final resolve is taken. Like Mt:. Walpole, we are amongst those who would like to have the argument out and the action taken. At present the British Museum exterior is an arch" tectural eyesore ; its interior, all save the library', too much like a curiosity shop, full of great but unproductive treasures—a suite of lumber rooms crammed with unopened packages. COUNTRY MARKETS. LIVERPOOL—T UESDAY. There was a good attendance of both town and country' dealers at market this day. Wheat met with a moderat 0 business, but prices fully as dear. O a t s i n f a i r d eman d. and oatmeal dull, but both rather ad vance d in price. For flour prices may be quoted same as on Tuesday, but ratlaor a limited trade was done. Beans without any chauge• In Indian corn there was a fair business passing at in proving values, American and European bringing 30s ba per 4801 b. SHEFFIELD-TUESDA Y. At our market to-day there was a smaller supply of wheat than usual, and the trade was moderately active, prices. Beans sold readily, at former rates, and barley I's" ther dearer. with full Red wheat, par load of 3 imperial bushels...l6s Od to 17 s 6d White ) f ) New red , New white ~ It :. . ... . ... 11 1 1 458 7 sss s 60 0 c i a d dd i t 0 0 00 21 1 1506 1 600 1 Beans , f If Peas, per qr Grinding barley, per qr 29s Od to 30s 04 Malting ditto, „ ..... 32s Od to 35s Od Oats ,) 22s Od to 26s Od Flour, Is 4d to is 8d per 14 lb. MELTON MOWBRAY—TUESDAY. A moderate business was done in English wheat to-day. The following were the currencies :—New white w heat, 44s Od to 48s Od ; new red, 38s Od to 45s per 36 stone; beans, 43s to 43s for old ; new sorts, 36s to 39s per 38 st. barley, 32s to 35s for malting, and 28s to 30s per qr. for grinding; new oats, 20s to 24s Od per 24 stone; old, 2 95 to 295. •••••••••• LEEDS—TUESDAY. There were only small arrivals of fresh grain this week. We had a good consumptive demand for wheat at fully /a 4 week's rates. Beans were rather dearer. Oats were tar' altered. Averages—July 11—Wheat 43s 101 d per qr. —Barley —s Od —Beans 37s 8d —Peas ..32s Od -- -- —Oats ..22s 71d BRISTOL-TUESDAY. There was a fair attendance of buyers to.day, and fi moderate business was done at the full prices of last week. Barley and oats held for 3d more money. Beans and pests were held for is advance on the week. Indian corn rather dull, Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton....... July 3 •9 . via Marseilles .. July I.'. rail and Cape Verds, by British packet. Aug. 4 . Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena.. July 29. China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southamptou.July 1 9 . via Marseilles ... July - 1 4 . Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton July 12. India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton July 29, via Marseilles July 14. India (Bombay), via Southampton July ---•— via Marseilles July 18. Portugal.... Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton July ---•— via Marseilles July 14 ' Newfoundland . . July 20. Oporto and Vigo U. S. and British N. America, by Brit. packet.... Jul,' 14. - - - by U.S.. packet.... by Canadian packet.Suly 16. All and 13rit st Indiesinh , Columbia including . Chili, Peru, I xb, I¢, [ADVERTTSE9[ENT.]-11olloway's Ointment and P High winds are noted for producing great disturbance in th e circulation, whence proceed bronchitis, sore throat, diphtht:ria, and multitudes of ailments resulting from vari able tempei'atures. A chill or cold should always have instant attentiolt, or serious consequences may spring frore neglect. All may - rub Holloway's ointment on the skill over the affected pan: with the certainty of mitigating ire" mediate sufferings, and averting all future dander. This ointment penetrates the skjn, and revives the feeble circu lation in subjacent organs, purifies the blood, and rectifies every function. In urgent and chronic cases Holloway's pills (taken while the ointment is being used) expedite and ensure a speedy cure, which in most cases will be theroug l3 l radical, and lasting. Births. BRADY —On the 9th inst., at Fernhill, Haverford west, the wife of Captain Brady, R.V., of a daughter. SIKES.—On the 11th inst., at Sudbury, Suffolk, the wife of John Sikes, Esq., of a daughter. gTEWART..--0 11 the 12th inst., at Richmond, Surrey, t 1 wife of Balfour Stewart, Esq., of a son. Marriages. DEANE—BoscAwEN. — On. the 12th inst., at Saint Paul% Knightsbridge, Bonar Millett Deane, Major 18th Royal Irish, to the Hon. Louisa Boacawen. WESTMEATII—VERNER. — On the 12th inst„ at St. SO' phen's, Paddington, George, Marquis of Westmeath, to Elizabeth Charlotte, second dauEhter of the late Davia Verner, Esq., and niece of Colonel Sir W. Verner, 1 0 M.P., K.C.H. Deaths. GRINFIELD.—On the 9th inst., at Brighton, the Rev. W. Griufield, M.A., aged 80. HILL.--On the 29th April, killed in action. at Tanrangt New Zealand, Lieut. Charles Hill, H.M.S. Curagoa,_so' of the Rev. Coppingor Hill, B ux h ai l R ectory, Suffolk', aged 29. O'GRADY.—On the Bth inst., at Erinagh House, county Clare, Admiral Hayes O'Grady, aged 77: SALT.—On the 9th inst., at Quarry-place, Shrewsbury' Thomas Salt, Esq., aged 71. STABLE.—On the 10th inst., at Crayford, Charles Leonar d Stable, Esq,, aged 46. WHEELER.—On the Bth inst., Sibylla, the wife of Willis o Wheeler, Esq., of 6, Leinster-square, Bayswater. London : Printed and PrlTiislied by WILLIAM ANDitli. ,T 2 of No. 112, St rand, Pr i nter, at Tat: Surf Office No* 31 / Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, n the cov3/1 A l iddlepex,—Wednesday, July 13,1864.